Tourists uses handheld fan to cool themselves from heat during a hot day in Dataran Merdeka, Malaysia. — THE STAR/ANN Photo Azhar Mahfof

PETALING JAYA — Northern Malaysia continues to swelter under relentless heat, with 17 loca­lities issued heatwave alerts.

The conditions are particularly severe in Baling, Pendang and Pokok Sena in Kedah, where a Level 2 heatwave alert has been issued after temperatures ranged between 37 degrees Celsius and 40 degrees Celsius for at least three consecutive days.

According to the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia), Level 1 heatwave alerts have also been issued for Sik, Padang Terap, Kubang Pasu, Pulau Langkawi, Kuala Muda, Kulim and Bandar Baharu in Kedah.

Level 1 alerts are issued when temperatures range between 35 degrees Celsius and 37 degrees Celsius for at least three consecutive days.

Selama, Kuala Kangsar, Kinta and Hulu Perak in Perak, as well as Daerah Utara and Timur-Laut in Penang, were also issued alerts. Other affected locations include Perlis and Kuala Lumpur.

The heat has already proved deadly, with a child in Seremban dying earlier this year after being left in a hot car for nine hours.

Fifteen heat-related cases and three heatstroke cases have also been recorded this year, according to the Malaysian health ministry.

MetMalaysia has forecast a rainfall deficit exceeding 35 per cent over three- and six-month periods due to slightly dry conditions expected to persist in western Sarawak from this March to August.

According to climatologist Prof Emeritus Fredolin Tangang, this year could be the hottest on record, with El Nino expected to return between July and August, and intensifying towards year-end.

“Malaysia will likely face a strong El Nino, which will extend into next year, weakening around March and ending in May,” said Fredolin, who has spent over three decades researching El Nino.

He added that a positive phase of the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is also forecast toward the end of the year.

“These combined conditions raise the risk of severe dry weather, forest fires and transboundary haze events” said Fredolin, a Fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia.

Given the current heat, he noted that another possible factor is the equinox.

“If we have none or lack cloud coverage, this can exacerbate the situation,” he said.

Climatologist Prof Emeritus Datuk Azizan Abu Samah said there may be some respite for the west coast in April when the intermonsoon period settles in.

Malaysia is currently at the tail end of the north-east monsoon, which began in November last year.

“There should be rainy days by then, hence ending hot spells,” said Azizan, who believes the El Nino may only fully materialise by the end of the year. — THE STAR/ANN